Thursday, December 17, 2015

Cynthia's Seafood Throwdown Year in Review

This is me helping get set up and chatting with a
local youth group about fish seasons

In early May we kicked off this year’s Seafood Throwdown season in Providence, Rhode Island with our partners, Farm Fresh Rhode Island and the African Alliance of Rhode Island. The Throwdown was at Farm Fresh RI’s annual seasonal kickoff event for their Farmers Markets, where for the first time they were selling fresh local seafood from a local fisherman!

As the months came upon us we found ourselves in multiple communities in Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont! What a road trip! The van was packed to the point where we couldn’t see out the back window and there was barely room for our personal stuff while we took in breathtaking sights as the roads led us to our host destinations. What great days these road trips are!

My job on that day is to watch over the logistics pieces making sure everything is falling into place or close to it, all the while being outside in a Farmers Market or Festival atmosphere. How cool is that?! I’m in the midst of people who are happy just to be outdoors supporting their community, surrounded by their neighbors. As they come to watch the Seafood Throwdown, they’re in for a treat of being tantalized by their five senses; seeing this unusual species with an eye

Locally caught squid, yumm!

popping gotta get closer; hearing all about what the Mystery Fish is, where it came from and what’s this all about; then there might be some touching, yes, there are a few brave souls that want to feel it, for they never have been around this species before; once the competition starts smelling the aroma draws them closer; then the final sense utilized is tasting the chefs’ creation using all things local, a perfect ending to an all inclusive (using your 5 senses in one place) experience!

I’m inviting you to stay tuned for our 2016 Seafood Throwdown season. We are hoping to reach many more communities this next year!